Fact-Checking Grell Sutcliff's Debut: Butler Premiere Vs. Grim Reaper True Form Explained
By Alexander Ross
Grell’s introduction begins in earnest during the social calls made by Baroness Angelina Dalles, widely known across Victorian London as Madam Red. In Episode 2, Grell arrives as her personal butler. The character is completely unrecognizable compared to later appearances: nervous, prone to hysterical bouts of weeping, and constantly threatening to commit ritual suicide (*seppuku*) after spilling porcelain tea sets or misplacing luggage.
By Episode 3 ("That Butler, Capable"), Grell becomes an active fixture in the Phantomhive estate. Queen Victoria tasks young Earl Ciel Phantomhive with solving the gruesome Whitechapel murders attributed to Jack the Ripper. Madam Red volunteers her household to assist, planting Grell squarely inside Ciel's inner circle. For two full episodes, Grell plays the bumbling fool so convincingly that neither the audience nor Ciel’s demonic butler suspects their complicity in the killings.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
